Our Best Start Local Plan 2026-29

The statutory target for our local authority will be considered 'achieved' if the following two (minimum expectation) conditions are met: 

1. The proportion of children aged 5 years achieving the GLD at the end of the 2027/28 academic year is at least 76.4%, and; 
2. Disadvantaged children have benefitted at least equally from this improvement (ie) children eligible for FSM achieving the GLD at the end of the 2027/28 academic year is at least 60.6%. 

Using the 2023/24 population profile, an additional 191 children would need to reach the GLD level to achieve the overall target. 

An additional 53 children eligible for free school meals would need to reach GLD to meet the FSM target.  

Note here that the definition of Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility will change during this period - further DfE guidance will be applied where appropriate in the review cycle for the plan.